Ai Shiteru
by Clorinda
Summary: A collection of drabbles featuring various canon, and underlined in canon ships. Unorthodox ones too.
1. Uncharacteristic

**Ai Shiteru**

**By** Clorinda

**Rated**: PG

**Category**: Romance

**Summary**: A collection of drabbles featuring various canon, and underlined-in-canon ships. Unorthodox ones too.

* * *

**Uncharacteristic**

_Bang_!

The door slams behind her, and Miki flings herself on the bed, sinking into the pillows, the letter crumpling in her clutch. _Five days_.

Outside, it pours. Dully, rain hits the window panes. Her eyes fall closed, letting it soak through her.

Letters were only ink, words, always never real enough. She wished for the feel of his arms around her, his deep, steadying breath.

_Pitter patter_ fell the rain.

_Thud_, _thud_ went her heart in perfect rhythm; the sky echoes threefold; the tears of uncontained happiness slipping down her cheek. Five days...

_And he was finally coming back_...

* * *

**Author's Note**: First attempt at KyosukexMiki, so feedback will be _really_ appreciated. (And drabbles too, hope you like them, especially since I got a total of one review/opinion for the **Inu Yasha** ones.)


	2. Incorrigible

**Incorrigible **

Sakai & Kaori

Sometimes, she actually feels afraid of him. It's not _real_ fear, but when a woman who is spoken for feels her heart beat louder around a boy when it's not supposed to— then what?

Oh sure, he's attractive, but she's not _supposed_ to be attracted when she knows Seisuke waits for her each day.

He's unchanging, never any deep running feelings for a girl. When he looks at her, eyes meeting, he wonders what she'll say.

Late nights, insomniacs' conversation, they do that to establish healthy friendship, to go their separate ways.

It's too bad that they're both too incorrigible.


	3. Hesitate

**Author's Note**: I won't believe you if you say you are surprised by this one.

* * *

**Hesitate **

Best Friends

The aggressive look never cuts it with Sakai, who belongs with his Bach tapes and roses. He is bold, never aggressive. Rodrigo cannot look him in the eye, if that happens. Because Rodrigo always hesitates.

And Sakai never does. He's afraid of the power of feeling, but doesn't struggle to hide it.

Rodrigo never had that courage.

That's why he doesn't move when Sakai touches his cheek, fingers tracing his skin.

Can't breathe.

Sakai looks at those amber, wiped-blank eyes, laughs shakily, hiding his eyes. "Oh."

If Rodrigo had any courage, he'd reach out, catch Sakai's hand.

But he hesitates.


	4. Wait

**A convoluted drabble (I dunno how it fit into the word limit) and mostly fluff, but I like it. And thank you for all you said about the first three; seriously, you're too kind.**

**And I really hope that _all_ of the drabbles don't read like fluff, honestly. I chose "Ai Shiteru" as title, despite the formality and heavy sense of commitment, and I hope at least a couple of pieces live up to it.

* * *

**

**Wait **

**So Guilty**

She waits for him; he likes her because she's decent. No girl would wait for Mori anymore. But Karen's not one of them.

She'd make his heart leap, hammer, each time she smiled. Unassuming, shy.

Why, then? Why _did_ he make her wait?

"You're worth waiting for."

But she'd never say that, would she?

She'd smile and blush. He'd smile and blush back.

Wait. He wasn't _waiting_ for _her_ to say those four words, was he?

Because _she_ was the one who deserved to hear it. To be told, not tell.

He suddenly didn't want to make her wait anymore.


	5. Goodnight

**This was long overdue. In sorts a companion to "Incorrigible."

* * *

**

**Goodnight **

**Them Two**

They live for the present. A career-loving man; a self-worthy lady. You didn't expect much less. They live for each other too. But sometimes, they forget.

Distance and time don't create speed. Only separation. Loneliness. Hearts looking the other way. Seisuke and Kaori. They've lasted away from one another; they don't know how long they'll last together.

She smiles softly. His fingers trail, tracing patterns on her skin. _He_'_s missed her so much_... _Never to leave_...

Lips meet. Palms press against one another. Fingers entwine slowly.

Then untwine.

His eyes open. She is still smiling. He has to smile back.


	6. Beaten, Drunken, and Shot

**I've broken a neck and made this attempt purely on **Hikari Manganji'**s** **recommendation. I don't think I would have mastered the guts to try taking this off my drawing board, had I been left to my own devices. _For_ her, and hope she likes it. (Don't you forget to tell me if I messed this up.)

* * *

**

**Beaten, Drunken, and Shot**

**Uncertain About Love**

When his eyes open, there is another person's face in his view.

Kyosuke.

The ground is pressing into his back; the grass tickles him.

"Sakai?"

"Did I die?"

Relief. Overwhelming relief. He'd just hit the goalie in the face with the ball.

* * *

When he struggles to sit up, there is someone sitting on the foot of the bed.

Sakai.

The bed feels rumpled.

"Kyosuke."

"Did we drink too much?"

* * *

Eyes blink owlishly at one another. Green and blue. Faces move apart.

Inches apart. Reddened lips.

"Hit me, Kyosuke. Either I drank too much, or I was hit by a shotgun."


	7. Dance

**Dance**

**Nest-Head and Tsujiwaki**

He's so terribly sweet sometimes; she wonders how she never knew. Deep beneath the swagger, deep beneath the words, deep beneath the crop of hair.

It's like she's Helen, and he is Menelaus.

Maybe is "love" too strong? She knows she doesn't feel for him.

So does he. _Never give up_.

Nevertheless, she has someone who cherishes her, and loves her, like she loves _him_, and like Kiba cherishes _her_.

It's always the same dance still. Just the two of them. The music sweet and slow. Feet moving carefully. Sometimes stepping on toes.

And an embarrassed laugh covers the shame.


End file.
